Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

3. But the seeming Christian doth fear man more than God, and will venture upon the displeasure of God to avoid the displeasure of men that can do him hurt: because he doth not soundly believe the threatenings of the word of God.

3. But the seeming Christian doth fear man more than God, and will venture upon the displeasure of God to avoid the displeasure of men that can do him hurt: because he doth not soundly believe the threatnings of the word of God.

L. 1. A Christian indeed is made up of Judgement and Zeal conjunct. His Judgement is not a patron of Lukewarmness, nor his Zeal an enemy to knowledge: His judgement doth not destroy but increase his Zeal: and his Zeal is not blind nor self-conceited, nor doth run before or without judgement. If he be of the most excellent sort of Christians, he hath so large a knowledge of the mysteries of godliness, that he seeth the body of sacred truth with ⟨p. 124⟩its parts and compages or joints, as it were at once, It is all written deeply and methodically in his understanding: He hath by long use his senses exercised to discern both good and evil, Heb. 5.14. He presently discerneth where mistaken men go out of the way, and lose the truth by false suppositions, or by false definitions, or by confounding things that differ. And therefore he pitieth the contentious sects and disputers who raise a dust to blind themselves and others, and make a stir to the trouble of the Church, about things which they never understood: And in the sight of that truth which others obscure or contradict, he enjoyeth much content or pleasure in his own mind, though uncapable persons zealously reject it. Therefore he is steadfast, as knowing on what ground he seteth his foot. And though he be the greatest lover of truth, and would with greatest joy receive any addition to his knowledge, yet ordinarily by erroneous zealots, he is censured as too stiff and self-conceited and tenacious of his own opinions; because he will not entertain their errors and obey them in their self-conceitedness: For he that knoweth that it is truth which he holdeth, is neither able, nor willing to hold the contrary (unless he imprison the truth in unrighteousness) But if he be one that hath not attained to such a clear comprehensive judgement, yet with that measure of judgement which he hath, he doth guide and regulate his zeal, and maketh it follow after, while understanding goeth before. He treadeth on sure ground, and knoweth it to be duty indeed which he is zealous for, and sin indeed which he is zealous against; and is not put to excuse all his fervour and forwardness after with a non putarem, or